ISLAMABAD, April 9 -- Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary between Iran and the United States to secure a temporary ceasefire and host negotiations to end the war in the Middle East.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the United States and Iran - and their allies had - agreed to a ceasefire "everywhere" following mediation by his government.

Sharif said the two-week truce - which Trump and Tehran had announced earlier - would next lead to talks in the Pakistan capital.

"Pakistan achieved one of its biggest diplomatic wins in years," said South Asia expert Michael Kugelman in an X post.

"It also defied many skeptics and naysayers that didn't think it had the capacity to pull off such a complex, high stakes feat."

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